Who Shot Helen Plum?
by margaret aka whymelucylu
Summary: A crime has been committed in the 'burg, and the suspects had their own motives for shutting down Helen Plum once and for all. who did it? let's find out, but keep an open mind...BABE from beginning. A/U.
1. Chapter 1

_Who Shot Helen Plum?_

**Trenton Times**

A body was found by a car today, just outside the border of Chambersburg, it was identified as Helen Mazur Plum, the victim died instantly of a gunshot wound.

Passersby merely said, 'we thought it was a backfire of a car', and didn't stop to help the victim. Most passersby thought 'it couldn't happen to a more deserving person' namely that the victim 'was finally getting her karma groove on for what she spent years doing to others.'

And of course no one wanted to be quoted as directly coming from them. The deceased left no one living at home; she was in the process of a divorce, leaving Frank Plum the widowed husband.

Her mother, Edna Mazur, survives and she had two daughters, Stephanie Manoso, and Valerie Kloughn.

She also has three granddaughters, Angie, Mary Alice and Lisa Kloughn and one recently born Manoso grandson.

The investigation is in the preliminary stages as this article is posted. Chief of Police Juniak has assigned several homicide detectives to handle the case. All Tips are being taken and anyone with tips leading to the guilty party, will be greatly rewarded. Right now this murder is low priority for Trenton as several other crimes are being investigated and the victim was not that popular, the detectives are finding out.

Stay tuned for more details.

A/N…if you are reading this, you know I have no love whatsoever for Helen and or anyone named Morelli.

However, by killing Helen I am done with one major bashing, dontcha think?

The plot is done, I know the guilty person…see if you can guess, a chapter per suspect will follow as I reconstruct Helen's last days on earth starting with the day before her death.

This story is coming to you from the twisted humorous mind of Mia and myself, but I knew I was onto something good here when I got my lovely fan fiction friend Ms. Em to smile…and Cindy Lou to say ' hell yeah I will read it'…so many many thanks to them.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N read with an open mind and see if you don't smile.

Subject; Helen Mazur Plum

Occupation; dead

THE DAY BEFORE ….

Once again like she had for the previous five hundred and forty days, Helen started her day off with a phone call, well rather several phone calls….

_xxxxxxxx_

_What happened five hundred and forty one days ago?_

_Why, that was the day the daughter she nagged half to death all the time on a daily basis, was married to the man of her dreams, Carlos Manoso._

_Guess who wasn't invited?_

_That's right, the victim._

_In the meantime after the wedding, just about a year later, a son was born to the Manoso family, coincidently it happened to be in the state of Florida, no where near Trenton, New Jersey._

_Wonder why?_

_Err, um gee that would be due to the victim again, who needs to be around a harpy-sounding fishwife, when you can have paradise without her?_

_That's also why the victim was soon to be a divorced woman; her husband Frank Plum had had enough._

_Enough of her gossip, enough of her cutting remarks about everyone and anyone, and he was just tired of her._

_Period._

_And Frank Plum just happened to be in Florida when his first grandson was born, he was simply over the moon with happiness at holding the beautiful brown eyed boy, Carlos Franklin Manoso._

_Life was good after he changed his phone number so only his mother in law had his number, and of course his oldest daughter Valerie. Both were sworn to keep the number secret, and both did just that._

_When the Manoso family came back to Trenton and moved back into the truly luxurious penthouse, little Carlos's grandpa moved right in as well for he didn't want his grandson out of his sight, he was that adored by Frank Plum._

_The phones at Rangeman were ringing off the hook by not only clients but the victim Helen Mazur Plum as well. Seems like she was told that the family was back. _

_A restraining order was soon delivered to the victim by none other than Joe Morelli, who was coincidentally fired as a detective on the Trenton Police force for harassing and stalking the victim's daughter, Stephanie Manoso. Morelli also ignored the restraining order served against HIM for said harassment, and therefore lost his job._

_And his house._

_Pretty much everything he had, he needed to sell for his own personal attorney, once he was found guilty, and he was discharged from duty he found himself forced to move back home with his mother, Angie. Who kept hitting him on the back of the head, and saying 'why me?' looking upwards to the sky. _

_Morelli now worked as a process server for the courthouse at minimum wage, seems like no one wanted a perverted ex cop on the payroll if they had to pay him more than that salary._

_Joe Morelli always held a grudge against the victim it turns out that he listened to her instead of his own mother when it came to Stephanie, he tried everything and anything to get her to come back to him, all at the victim's urging him to do so._

_If he would have left well enough alone, he would still have a job, but his ego was such, he thought he walked on water with the ladies. Too bad the ladies didn't think so._

_Joe Morelli will be interviewed separately; he is also a suspect in the victim's death._

_xxxxxx_

Using a search warrant the detectives were able to piece together the dead victim's time line via the phone numbers she called. And the stops she made to 'harass' certain people in her life, place the victim out and about the city of Trenton due to the cameras all around. Too bad some didn't work.

And once the detectives had started taking the suspects statements one at a time, most of the time they had to find the suspects to talk to them in their 'own surroundings' as they each had their own life to get to.

And no one seemed in the least bit concerned about planning a funeral or a wake or anything, which was puzzling to the detectives until they found out what a mean mouthed woman Helen Mazur really was.

The following chapters are the transcripts from those interviews.

_xxxxxx_

Detective; 'can you please state your name and relationship to the victim for the record?'

Suspect no. 1; 'don't you know me by now boy? Well, I went to school with your Grandma.'

Detective; Please for the record, and _if at all possible refrain from rolling your eyes at me and the snorting sounds you are making, we cannot transcribe, so please refrain from that as well. _Now, can you state your name and address please.

Suspect no 1. ' All right all right, no need to beat up a defenseless old woman now is there? Its Edna Mauzr. It's spelled M-a-u-z-r in case you need help spelling it, I know you younger folks don't know a damn thing about spelling. And I live on Hamilton Street. As a matter of fact it's right next door to your Grandma in that apartment building. Do you know where that is? The victim was my daughter, that's d-a-u-g-h-t-e-r for your information.

Detective. ' Please Mrs. Mauzr, let me ask the questions. That is my job. Your job is to answer the questions. Do I make myself clear?

Can you please tell me where you were at approximately 4:02 yesterday afternoon?'

Suspect no 1. ' Do I need a lawyer here? I might need a lawyer. '

Detective. 'Just tell me where you were and I can leave; after all I found you here at the Clip and Curl, I will go when we are done. Now where were you yesterday afternoon at 4:02 pm? And is it true you were arguing with your dead daughter about the money you won playing bingo at the Elks Lodge the other night? And what you were going to do with said winnings when you were interviewed about it by the Trenton Times, is that true, Mrs. Mauzr?'

Suspect no 1. ' I refuse to answer any questions without my lawyer present. I need to make a call. I might say the wrong thing about something or another that has nothing to do with the question, what was it you asked me, can you repeat that again, I forgot the question.'

Detective notes; Suspect no 1, aka Mrs. Edna Mauzr terminated the interview at the Clip n Curl. Stated she 'needed an attorney'. Suspect was last seen by witnesses having an argument with said dead person in the parking lot of this establishment earlier on the previous day, it is a known fact suspect No. 1 won a hefty sum of money playing bingo at the Elks Lodge the other night.

Witnesses said victim was 'enraged' at Suspect no. 1 for planning to give her money to male strippers for her upcoming birthday party her granddaughter, Stephanie Manoso was hosting in the upcoming weeks.

Employees of Rangeman Security, her husband's firm were said entertainment; Suspect no. 1, which further infuriated the victim, requested outfits of g-strings.

SUSPECT NO 1. Still under suspicion. Will re interview in presence of Rangeman Lawyer in upcoming days.

_xxxx_

The killer turned off the radio after hearing the Trenton news report at noon. No new developments were made so far in the killing, and the reporter said no one was really worried about the killer 'still on the loose', some folks said 'a favor was done by her murder' of course no one would let their name be used either. Everyone had been talking about the victim, out in the streets of Trenton, you couldn't help but go places and her name was on _someone's lips_, for once she wasn't the one spreading rumors.

_Helen Mazur Plum was the rumor._

Life couldn't get any better, and with the keystone cops on the prowl, the killer was home free.

_xxxxxx_

Does Grandma Edna have a motive? Hearing her own daughter harp on her winnings, day in and day out, wouldn't she get tired of it, all that nagging in her ear, seeing her purple face exclaiming over the fact, 'Mother, how could you do this to me?'

_Plus the fact she was getting Rangeman strippers for her birthday, woot woot, I call that a win-win, and in G-strings to boot…_


	3. Chapter 3

The Suspect No. 2

The detective found suspect no. 2 not in hiding like was thought, but out and about in the stomping grounds of his employment, the Trenton Cab Company.

_**Frank Plum was a changed man, ever since he left his wife; he had a new purpose, one that did not center on anyone but who he wanted; his daughters and grandkids.**_

_**No noise except for happy kids, he and Edna were getting along just fine, once you took out the shriek they heard continuously, life was indeed good.**_

_**Helen had made it her 'mission' in life to see that 'he came to his senses and came back home, where he belonged'; each day she tried to get into Rangeman, and up the elevator.**_

_**Each day, she was turned away. Once Frank walked out, there was no going back to hell on earth, not when he had peace in his soul for the first time before he went off to war.**_

_**Especially once Helen found out Frank was at Stephanie's wedding, the one she wasn't invited to, the birth of HIS grandson, (NEVER HER GRANDSON,) she was hell bent on making everyone suffer till she got her way…. too bad she got dead instead, right?**_

'_**Mr. Plum, didn't you have a fare right off where your wife was killed? And didn't the DEAD VICTIM harass you on a daily basis?' the detective asked Suspect no. 2, all the while looking into Frank's cab. Hoping for a blood speck, anything to wrap this shit hole of a case up.**_

'_**And most importantly weren't you your squad's sharpshooter, the best of the best while you served in the war, isn't that a fact, sir?'**_

_**Trenton P.D. was taking the heat not only for solving this murder, but the burglaries that were going on as well. Everyone wanted something solved, and he only had an hour or two at the most each day to interview folks. His partner and him really didn't care WHO killed the woman, just that she was DEAD in their town.**_

_**xxxxxxxx**_

_**Detective; 'Mr. Plum, don't you care at all, your wife is dead? You will never see her again?'**_

_**Mr. Plum; 'why the hell should I give a damn weather or not she is alive or dead? That woman meant nothing to me, she did give me my daughters, but that's all she ever did, her mouth wasn't good for nothing but –bitch-bitch and more bitchin' so tell me officer, why should I give a damn again?'**_

_**Frank Plum stood ram rod straight as he looked into the detectives eyes and told him,' She just kept bitchin', should have put her knees to work as much as her mouth liked to work, then by God, maybe we would be married still.'**_

_**The detective just stood there, blushing as he wrote the statement down in his pad. "Mr. Plum, you never answered my questions, did you see anything while you were in the area of your wife's murder? Hear a gunshot? Maybe YOU FIRED THE GUN YOURSELF, IT ALL FITS..DONTCHA THINK? Think about it Mr. Plum, you got the skills needed to pull off a long range gun and hit the mark, you WERE in the area, who better to profit from your wife's murder than you?'**_

'_**Listen up detective, I didn't kill her, if I was going to do so, it would have been long before now, oh say right after my youngest daughter was born, how's that for a time frame, now do you have anything else to say because I do to you….'**_

_**The detective leaned in thinking he was finally getting somewhere as he eagerly awaited whatever the suspect was going to say to him…**_

'_**Maybe I should give the Rangeman Attorney a call now, what do you think? Maybe I might say something that has nothing to do with anything but is the wrong thing to say. What was your question, as I forgot' Frank Plum just damn near recited exactly what his mother in law said to the same detective earlier.**_

_**Defeated, the detective said to him, 'I'll be back for another go around with you, you are looking right now almost good enough for the murder of your wife, Mr. Plum'**_

_**Frank just waved him away with a flick of his wrist, 'call my attorney if you want to talk again.'**_

_**Xxxxx**_

_**The killer was amused to not hear any news report about the murder; getting rid of that pain in the ass woman was the perfect ending to the day. No news is good news in the killer's pov. Trenton had become a hot bed of 'whodunit?' much like 'who shot J.R.?' years ago. Geez didn't folks have anything else to do with their lives. The killer smiled and thought, 'I aim to please.'**_

_**The games continued.**_

_**Xxxxxxxxxxx**_

_**So, did Frank do it?**_

_**He got the skills right, I mean sharpshooter; he was in the area for Crap sake, and had enough of that 'bitchin' to last a lifetime.**_

_**What do you think now?**_

_**A/N…. see you on Monday with a new set of suspects…and special thanks to the sounding board beta Ms. Michelle, who supplied a few lines here and there for Mr. Frank to say…. snickers.**_

_**Going to a mon-wed-Friday post with the killer being revealed in about six chapters….**_

_**Have a good weekend.**_


	4. Chapter 4

_Interlude._

_The press was going wild over Juniak's first press conference, it was hastily called, hoping no one would attend; well it would be sparsely attended at best._

_Boy was that the wrong idea._

_It was a madhouse, not only were the reporters after the rash of burglaries, they wanted to know if there was serial killer on the loose, after all one of their own in the 'burg was killed. Shot by someone who obviously held a grudge, as it was in the back of the head._

_Sighing to himself, Juniak wondered 'would life ever get back to normal in this town?' kids running rampant, break in's occurring daily it seemed like._

_But all were happening to homes that were not secured at all. Windows left open, no alarms on the doors, in some cases the doors were left unlocked._

_And now a murderer in their midst._

_Not that he really cared about a damn thing regarding Helen Plum being dead. He was thrilled Frank had a new lease on life, hell, he would have shot her over the years, numerous times himself if he was married to someone like her._

_Geez, who really gave a damn about the killer anyway? That crime was such a low priority these days, the men under his command were told 'whenever you have time, poke around and no worries' from the brass about it._

_She was a vindictive person, a woman obsessed with all things instead of cleaning out her own closet, she tried to control those around her to make her feel better._

_She was a woman on the edge of hell, and it seemed to him she was trying to take everyone down with her._

_Xxxxxxxxxx_

_**The questions were coming fast and furious his way;**_

" _Chief chief, any word on the crimes being related in the burglaries?_

_Why aren't you doing more about it? _

_How many people do you have working on these cases?_

_Any leads on who killed Helen Plum?_

_Do we have a killer on the loose here, Chief?' and then he heard of course the usual questions;_

"_Are you planning on questioning every one who she saw that day?_

_Why hasn't the detectives made any progress?_

_**Where are the detectives in her case?'**_

"_One at a time, gentlemen,' he replied to the shouting._

'_We are making progress in the burglaries, and based on the clues we have and what they have left behind, yes they are related, that is all I can say in this matter.'_

_Juniak contintinued on, 'as far as the murder of dead victim, Helen Plum, we have **no doubt whatsoever the killer will be caught, and a just reward will be given when that person is in custody. The detectives are working hard on the case, but have been given limited time each day to do so, as it is not a high priority as of this minute. We have other fish to fry and the police department is doing its best to make sure the important crimes are getting the attention they deserve.**_

_**Thank you for attending this conference, that is all I can say at the moment, PLUS the fact we do not feel there will be another killing at all. THE VICTIM IS DEAD, and the suspects we have in mind WILL BE interviewed.'**_

_**Xxxxxx**_

_**Killer's pov**_

_**It was so easy to blend in on the ruckus this press conference had going on. Slipping into the crowd, watching Juniak stumbling over what to say…the killer smiled at the thought, finally, "the menace of Trenton society had been removed, and life could go on, and no one cares.'**_

_**Perfect.**_

_**xxxxxxxxx**_

_**To the readers of this story JUNIAK SAYS~~~~~~**_

'_**If you feel like there is someone that needs to be on the list, please by all means leave a review and mention whom you would like to see in one of the upcoming chapters'. **_

_**A/N**_

_**NOT mine; thanks to the laughter of Michelle, this story has taken a few twists and turns…**_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N~~ many thanks for reviews, favorites, and follows, it is truly humbling to see so many of you follow along in this look into the 'burg.**

**Suspect No. 3.**

'Tell me something detective', he began with a sneer, 'how do you like it that the woman you listened to, got you in the job you are in now? Are you happy she is deader than a mackerel fish? You don't have to listen to that woman tell you what to do, anymore. You used to follow Helen Plum around like a dog in heat, always with her, eating dinners over there, even when Stephanie became a Manoso, how does it feel to watch your dreams shatter around you?

She castrated your life detective, I mean, Morelli. You aren't a detective anymore now are you?

How does it feel to be a _process server, hell, you live at home again, have no row house anymore, and you freakin' get spit at, hit on and you even had someone give you a black eye, all for serving papers on them._

_**Of all the suspects that were in her life, you more than anyone have a motive, your life is shit, no one talks to you, and no one likes you anymore, well, not that they did that when you were a cop, right?'**_

_**Flashback for Morelli.**_

Morelli just sat there, listening to him recite the story of his life; he did remember going over for pot roast and the mashed potatoes just to see Stephanie, he couldn't help it, he thought he had a chance, even when she stopped coming, he figured Helen could guilt her into dinner each time she called her daughter.

Nothing worked.

Not the 'why me? Why doesn't my daughter come over like a good daughter?' tirades she went on over the phone to Stephanie.

Helen had tried to leave messages on her cell phone but hearing,** 'the number you have called has been disconnected, please hang up and try your number again,' **spurred them both on to the point where they would feed off each other.

It drove him into madness, when the phone number no longer worked, it was the last link he had, besides Helen, his last link to Stephanie and it slipped away just as sure as his anger and stalking drove her away even more.

Not the 'boys miss you' worked.

Not even him trying to peek down her shirt worked.

He got a black eye for his effort that time, and it wasn't from Ranger either, it was from Stephanie herself.

Morelli never admitted defeat, it wasn't in his gene pool to walk away, and with Helen urging him on, he started stalking her, everywhere she went, he was there.

In pino's, she stopped going.

The bonds office, she had already quit working there, too bad he showed up with flowers and chocolates only to be informed of that fact, eh?

Tasty Pastry, nope nothing.

His rusted out POS car the department had checked out to him, was following her so much, the next thing he knew, he got _**served with his own set of restraining orders, much like the ones he had served upon Helen Plum for the same damn reason.**_

Morelli never gave up, and it was his arrogance in thinking he could get Stephanie to drop the Manoso to Morelli, all at Helen's urging him to keep going and 'bring her back to her rightful place in the burg, Joseph,' that was what kept him going.

Of course hearing Helen tell him the Morelli wedding 'would be so beautiful Joseph, just think of the babies you and Stephanie will have, I will teach her to cook and stay at home _**just like me, and she will like it**_.'

Morelli thought of the pleasure in Juniak's eyes when he fired him, the smirk on his lips when he told him to 'clear out his desk and locker,' Stephanie had become his obsession, and finally it cost him everything he used to care about.

His job, gone.

His own home, sold.

Bob ran away, never to be seen again.

All for the love he would never have, and never did in his life have Stephanie Michelle Plum Manoso's love if he was ever honest with himself…. which he never was.

**End of Joe feeling sorry for himself…. i mean flashback.**

Coming back into reality, he saw the detective's eyes on him, waiting for his answer, but he couldn't remember the question, he was lost in thought of all Helen had accomplished to mess up his life.

'Sorry, what was the question again,' Morelli had to ask.

The questioner, fed up with this moron had the right stuff to get Helen dead, and decided to lay some of the cards on the table.

'Look Morelli, you were serving papers on a home not three driveways away, surely you had to notice anyone, someone talking to the dead victim while she was standing right by her car. I got you dead to rights being _**right there, the right place at the right time, and in your car I found a gun, the same type of gun with the same casing that killed Helen Plum, and guess what?**_

_**You had motive. **_

_**You had means to do so.**_

_**And **_

_**You had the opportunity,**_

_**Plus**_

_**YOU RECENTLY FIRED YOUR GUN, your hands came back with gun residue on them, the gun had the markings of being fired recently within the two hour time frame she died, so why don't you JUST TELL ME YOU DID IT, WHY DON'T YOU SAVE YOUR SOUL FROM GOING TO HELL, AND ADMIT WHAT YOU DID.?'**_

_**WHY NOT MORELLI? DO US ALL A FAVOR AND CLOSE THIS CASE DOWN.'**_

'I think I need an attorney, I am not understanding what you are saying and I wouldn't want to say the wrong thing about something that is not even an issue here' Morelli told the detective.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

The truth was, anyone could have killed her, and the detective pulled out the list of suspects still to interview and checked off whom he had talked to and looked at the diagram of what **or whom** was in the area where Helen was that day.

Christ, she went here, she went there, she was everywhere, everywhere but home that is.

Her ex husband was on the side street,

Morelli was three doors down,

And she made two stops on that same block where she was killed.

Day in and day out, everyone knew Helen went to the butcher at Sal's meat market and saw the Priest for confession, some things stayed the same with Helen, but something's were different; after all, she was dead.

And dead is dead.

Just as Joe was standing up to leave, he heard a shriek that could only be made by his mother.

The detective shook his head at him moving to the door and told Morelli, 'time to shake your family tree and see what falls out, Morelli. Your mom had perfect motive to do this, Helen Plum was leading you all over Trenton while you acted like a love sick fool over a woman that was never yours. Just think, Morelli if you had listened to your own flesh and blood instead of some dead chick, we wouldn't be here right now.

**She may not know how to shoot but others in your family do, namely Y-O-U. We're gonna keep your mom here till we get answers and you can't do a damn thing about it, go home Morelli, oh that's right,_ you don't have a home, so go home to your momma's and wait by the phone, who knows when she will need a ride, and I will personally make sure she has her one phone call."_**

_**And left Joe Morelli still in the interrogation room, all-alone.**_

Poetic justice indeed.

Xxxxxxxxx

The killer kept the radio on the Trenton news channel at all times now, who knew when a tidbit would fall from the sky and could be heard. And a police scanner was bought and paid for, really the police shouldn't be chattering like girls over their radio. They told about talking to different suspects and what they found out, it seemed like the cops had two radio frequencies, good thing for that!

The news came out about the crimes and cars being called, but if you turned the dial just a smidge, you could hear suspects were being talked to here and there for various crimes and the shorthand that they used, a person could tell who was being questioned for what, just not the names of the suspects is all.

Out the door the killer went, it was another good day, the case was getting colder by the minute, and Juniak was being raked over the coals in his latest press conference, all cause no one could figure out who killed Helen Plum…..

And besides that, more burglaries were happening, couldn't the cops do anything right?

**A/N once again, many thanks to Michelle, aka MiaMoyes here on fan fiction, aint she rockin the board with Frenzy? See you on Wednesday.**

**Not mine.**


	6. Chapter 6

A/N. Please remember this story is completely _**A.U.**_ Folks normally in Plum World might be telling a **'secret'** that is also **A.U.**

Suspect no 4.

The language coming out of Angie Morelli's mouth as she was led down the hallway, left no doubt that she was mad.

**Really mad, even Joe couldn't believe what was coming from his mother's mouth.**

The detective had him translate exactly what she said to everyone when she passed by.

"**Non sto dicendo una parola, Capisci? Tlo bisoqno di un avvacato. Tutti voi siete dei bastardi di trattare na donna come me in questo moda. Bruciare all' inferno.'**

**Translation; '**I am not saying a word, do you understand me? I need an attorney. All of you are bastards to treat a lady like myself this way. Burn in hell.'

And hearing that she was not talking and wanting an attorney, gave them all pause in weather or not to pursue this avenue, but then again why not?

Angie had to be mad about Helen leading her son around by his dick, she in fact was the biggest instigator to Morelli's downfall on the force and in his personal life, and it turns out that some tips were flowing into the police station that had Angie right smack in the mix; she was seen at the meat market and at Mass as well, even though the dead victim was shot at 4:02 and it was kind of late to be out and about according to 'burg rules 101', both the victim and the suspect were in fact in the area at the same time.

So why not throw her into the pot as well?

Right?

Wrong.

As soon as Juniak heard that Angie wanted an attorney, he cut her loose along with her son; they weren't going anywhere, and besides that Joseph Morelli still needed to explain the gun residue on his hands and the gun being fired. And why was the victim shot with the same caliber gun that now was in police lockup?

Pressure, it was all about ' applying pressure'….and maybe Joe would confess to save his mother, or maybe not, who knew what that moron would do.

He used to be a cop, he knew what was about to happen to him, maybe the cops on the force would show up at all times of the day and or night for awhile, you know, just to 'see what's up' and if 'he wants to talk about anything…. anything at all.'

There was no one at the gun range in Trenton to confirm or deny his appearance as he suggested, that could also wait till another day, Juniak decided.

Better get a move on the burglaries. Folks were pissy mad about the break-in's happening in the first place, now what were the police going to do about it?

The city took the unprecedented step of hiring the services of Rangeman Security to help patrol the streets at certain locations where the burglaries were most prevalent; right after the detectives talked to Mr. And Mrs. Manoso and verified their whereabouts. They needed to make sure that both had alibis as well as their personal body guard one deadly and menacing man in the form of Hector Sanchez. For where the Manoso family went, Hector was right beside them; blending wherever the family went.

For who had more to gain than the dead woman's daughter? Her mother verbally abused Stephanie Manoso for most of her life, especially when she told her mother '**NO MORE'** and stuck to her guns.

The no more was like waving a red flag in front of an enraged bull; Helen was relentless in making her daughters life even more of a living hell than she already did. Showing up at Rangeman for either Frank or Stephanie, she gave the front desk the smack downs that would make a sailor blush.

Until she got her own restraining order that was served by Morelli. Keeping 500 yards away, not allowed to get within that space. No one could stop her from yelling at them though, her life was so miserable that she wanted to make sure everyone knew about it; which they did.

Why not share her misery with others?

Except it got her dead is all; the list was growing each day with folks that held a grudge against Helen Mazur Plum, who knew she was so disliked in the Chambersburg area?

So disliked her body was still at the morgue, no one to call to claim the body, no one was answering that call.

Cause no one cared.

And maybe the question should be;

Instead of

Who killed Helen Plum?

Maybe

**Who liked Helen Plum?**

Juniak knew there were no takers for that last question.

The city of Trenton was notified it was on the hook for the cremation of the body, and when he talked to Frank about it, he got laughter in his ear over a beer they had at the lodge.

'No way in hell am I paying a damn dime for _**that woman's anything, you hear me?**_ I spent a lifetime in hell with her, the only good thing that came out of this sham of a marriage was Valerie and Stephanie…and Edna isn't too bad now that I am not in the same air space as her…I am giving that house to Val and her family, I am settled at rangeman and got my boy to watch grow, frankly _**I don't give a crap about who killed Helen, nor should you. Whoever did it did everyone a favor in this town. For crying out loud, do you realize the hell she rained down on everyone?'**_

Juniak personally agreed about who killed Helen, did anyone even care at this point? He sure as hell didn't, but it would be nice to have closure even for the books they kept of open crimes that is.

Good thing they had a misc. fund in the budget, even the city had to pay the way for the cremation, but 'oh well, what's a few hundred anyway, we need the space in the morgue' Juniak thought to himself.

Helen's autopsy was lying on his desk; had been there for a few days, he thought about what he just skimmed over before heading to the lodge to see his friend. Her liver was about to blow due to her drinking, and the heart was showing signs of stress as well, in fact the line that gave Juniak the most pause was reading the summary that said, '**surprised that this patient who is obese due to drinking had not been aware of what was happening to her own body.'**

In other words, Helen was about to blow her own life one way or the other, either from her fatty foods that were rich in sugar and salt or by drinking herself to death, either way she was a dead woman walking.

Juniak said to his best buddy, 'I'm gonna have to talk to Stephanie, Ranger and Hector myself, you know I can't send a detective in to Rangeman without a translator in Rangespeak, right? You wanna help me out in this, old friend?'

Laughing over how his son-in-law was complete opposite of his daughter in all ways possible, Frank just nodded and told him, 'I don't envy you, trying to get words out of Carlos is sometimes damn near impossible I know, but with Steph there to translate it all, you shouldn't have a problem, well, unless you piss Hector off in the questioning, then all bets are off, you know that right? And here is a free tip as well for you," leaning in, Frank almost whispered to Juniak, just so no one could over hear what he was about to tell him, **'Carlos and Hector are related, distantly related, but still related. That is why where they go, Hector is right there with them, especially my girl and Grandson. Not many folks know that is why he is so fierce in protecting them, so keep that under your hat.** I can be in the room to help soothe your nerves, that's all, there is no way in hell I would want your job now of all times.'

Xxxxxxxx

Killer POV.

Freely moving around the 'burg, was certainly enlightening, hearing theories from this person and that, able to cast your own aspersions upon someone and knowing that sooner or later the police would hear about it.

For Trenton loved to talk, and ever since the marriage of Plum-Manoso, the mother replaced the daughter as everyone's object of gossip.

The rumors flew that;

Chief Juniak had confiscated the gun, warned Morelli to not leave town and took his fingerprints just to spook him. Before Angie was cut lose, the killer heard she also had her fingerprints taken and when leaving was cursing out her son in her Italian language, smacking him on the back of the head for every step she made out of the police station.

The killer also had heard in the middle of Pino's that Morelli and his mother were hauled into the station; for Morelli never explained where he was when he fired the gun, or where he was.

Everyone also knew, including the killer that you could count on Frank and Juniak to have their weekly beer at the lodge. Getting a table close by, the killer heard, '_**whoever did it did everyone a favor in this town.**_'

Hearing that the Manoso family was going to be questioned was perfect…the more suspects the better as far as the killer was concerned.

Almost wanting to confess, the killer left after drinking the beer ordered.

Tomorrow was another day after all.

_**A/N. not mine, thanks to Michelle for reading this story over before I post each chapter. Italian translation courtesy of Google of course.**_


	7. Chapter 7

A/N. Please remember this is totally **AU.**

Suspect No. 5.

An eyebrow arched in response to hearing Chief Juniak was in the lobby waiting on him and Stephanie; everyone at Rangeman knew he would show up eventually. Already eyes were on him ever since the door opened and Binkie hit the record button from the front desk.

_**Xxxxxxxx**_

Frank had come back to the Rangeman building after drinking a few with Juniak the night before, and as usual made his way up to the seventh floor penthouse, softly knocking on the door to where his grandson was. Carlos let in his father in law, glad to see he was on their front door for each evening and sometimes during the day, Frank was a fixture in their place, a welcome one for everyone to see.

Ever since he found out that his daughter was getting married, it seemed to everyone that the changes he made in his personal life seemed to alter everyone's life. Once his bags were packed and he helped Edna move into her own place, the wrath of Helen could not be denied. Frank stood strong against her, even getting on board with helping furnish the Rangeman attorney with his own restraining order as well as his daughter's family. Their fight put the Orr sham of a marriage to shame in what was heard by the neighbors, even after he pushed his own personal panic button, Frank took no guff from his wife, no matter how much she shrieked and bellowed, he had had enough. Seeing Carlos and Stephanie arrive on his doorstep to get him out of there, almost led Helen to physically attack her own daughter she was that damn angry.

The weight of the world was on Frank's shoulders while being married to a nagging woman, but once he punctured that balloon of hers for good by walking out, all was perfect, for once in his life.

Frank was over the moon happy to give Stephanie away to Carlos, and seeing his other daughter, Valerie be her maid of honor, brought tears to his eyes. Even Edna was a bridesmaid, who knew?

When Helen found out her daughter was married to Manoso, not Morelli and her family was invited, just not her, it was like a storm cloud over Trenton as much as she tried to cause damage by running her mouth to anyone and everyone each and every day of her life.

The men of Rangeman stood up for their boss as well, with Tank and Hector being his witnesses. Few knew besides the core team and Stephanie and Frank that Hector was indeed related to Carlos, albeit on his mother's side of the family, he had taken a wrong turn early in life and thanks to Rangeman's influence, decided a life of crime wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. Hector and Carlos had met up in the army, during basic training, he also was in a gang and given the choice of jail or the military, finding his cousin in the same situation just helped cement their bond to each other. Carlos and Hector were quite the pair for while Carlos had the muscle, Hector had the qualities even then to be just like smoke and whenever the situation called for stealth, Hector was the man.

So having Hector assigned permanently to Stephanie as her 'guardian angel' was perfect. Ever since she shot the keypad during the Abruzzi mess, Hector was always trying to get those two together.

And it worked.

Perfectly.

For you see, it was Hector that got the photographs of Morelli all over the tri-state area with different women on the nights he was 'working late hours'. Stephanie needed proof positive and Hector was the man for her indeed, he personally went to deliver the goods to the woman that was the unofficial head of the Rangeman family.

Letting her know of his real relationship with the 'boss' made sense to her, when she was thinking about it. And him speaking English to her and her daddy was perfect. Only around the family did Hector talk English to anyone, everyone else got Spanish, thinking that's all he knew.

_**xxxxxxxx**_

Cursing softly to only himself, Carlos knew what was about to happen, and he was determined that just because he hated that mother of his wife's and just because they had left the early mass at the church, and just because Helen was screaming at them from the required feet away, _**did not mean they had anything to do with her death.**_

She was still spewing her own brand of venom as they calmly loaded up the car, Hector was walking point, and just because he _**might have**_ made the gesture of reaching for his gun to shoot the miserable woman, _**he did not.**_

Collecting his wife from her adjourning office, Carlos wasn't surprised to find his son occupying the playpen, throwing his toys out on the floor while his Grandpa threw them back in for him to do it all over again. There was no need to look for Hector as he was sitting in the corner, seemingly unaware of anything, while looking over Stephanie's latest issue of Vogue.

'We have a visitor downstairs, babe. Do you want to bring our boy to see his Uncle Juniak?' he softly asked his wife, while running his finger down her cheekbone.

Standing up rubbing her belly, Stephanie told the room, 'might as well, it wouldn't hurt to know he also has a second buddy on the way.' the roundness of her stomach brought smiles to each of the men in the room, another Manoso boy was on the way, and all were excited for the family.

Leading the love of his very soul out the door, he slipped into his Ranger persona, and became the mercenary everyone in Trenton knew. The fifth floor became the nerve center once again of Rangeman instead of being filled with laughter and love for the newest members, Frank and their 'nephew' Carlos Franklin Manoso.

The elevator door opened, and the Manoso/Plum family got on only to get off five floors down; Chief Juniak was still in the lobby, under Binkie's watchful eye. As well as the watchful eye of the camera, Juniak was aware of the cameras and didn't mind it at all, being under observation. He was even thankful they were there, after all this is a **security company **for Pete's sake.

Not having seen his Goddaughter for a few months, Juniak had a great big grin on his face when he saw the roundness of her belly. Taking his 'nephew' out of his grandpa's arms to swing him around high in the air, listening to him squeal in happiness, gave everyone a break from what was to come with his visit to Rangeman.

Ranger opened the conference room door off the lobby, and waited till everyone took a seat before he found his own at the head of the table, next to his wife. Hector was on Ranger's other side and Frank was beside Stephanie and his grandson.

'What brings you by here, Uncle Joe?' Steph asked him, taking the lead once again. Only Stephanie could interpret a raised eyebrow on her husbands face or a smirk. She was perfect in the art of translating Rangerspeak, so to speak.

Everyone knew what was going on, but might as well get the softball questions out of the way before the hardball ones could begin.

'You know I would love nothing than to hang out with you and your family but until I can get your mother's killer, this is an official visit, honey, and you know with you both and Hector going to mass and seeing Helen out and about, and Frank was there in the area as well, everyone that was a player in her life _**seemed to converge all at once at the RIGHT time, a few minutes before she was killed.**_

_**So I have to ask, given the hatred you were subjected to, is there any way possible that you or your husband or your bodyguard Hector, could have killed your mother?'**_

The snort Stephanie gave was her only response.

'You are kidding me right, uncle Joe? You think it was one of us that could do such a thing? Why now would we do it? Hell, its been over eighteen months that she started her crap, years ago in fact…so why now would any one of us strike?' Stephanie replied.

'_**Personally I hope the killer never gets caught, who ever did this deserves a medal, hell I will throw the biggest party Shorty's ever had….and thank that person for taking out the garbage of the burg once and for all. **_

_**Helen Plum was nothing but trash as far as I am concerned, so she can rot in hell where I am sure she is….**_

_**Look, Uncle Joe she had such a nagging voice, I even considered making it assault and battery on everyone's ear drums it was so annoying, geez. Am I glad she is dead? NO, I am not, but let me tell you all of Trenton is happy she is gone. She could have been used as a freakin' weapon in many states, let the criminals hear her talk and they would be happy to get out and confess, anything to shut her up; like fingernails on a chalkboard, everyone is glad its over and done with.'**_

Sitting back in her chair after saying what was on everyone's mind, Stephanie absently rubbed her belly, waiting for Juniak to speak again. No one had to say a damn thing more about the death of her mother; it had all been spoke by Stephanie.

Juniak looked around the table, Ranger had lifted his eyebrow then, which led Stephanie to interpret the meaning and asked 'are we through here, cause if we aren't speak up now; our business is waiting for us upstairs.'

Hector just had his blank face on, you could tell they were more than employer and employee, same eye shape and nose as well, but unless they were side by side no one would ever voice that opinion.

'Mr. Sanchez, did you notice anyone at all in the area of the dead victim? You are known to have great observation skills, that is one of your many qualities I know personally from having you notice things in the past. Did you see anyone besides the dead victim, Frank Plum and Joe Morelli around the area? Can you help me please?'

'_**Off the record, of course,' Juniak said.**_

Hector looked directly at his boss and wife, knowing what he was about to say, everyone knew already, getting a slight nod from first Ranger and Stephanie, and noticing Frank grin at him slightly, he said in perfect English, 'well, there were a few more folks out and about than is on your list, Mr. Sal of the meat market was sweeping his stoop, Father O'Malley was shaking hands on the Church steps as we were leaving, my chica's sister and her husband and children were coming up the steps for the next Mass to begin, and Angie Morelli was also in the area at the time. Maybe a couple of more folks as well, but that is all I took in when walking to the car. Oh, and Lucille Plum and her father were there, Vinnie was waiting in the car, I don't think he is welcome in the Church anymore since his animal loving ways were exposed in the newspaper last month.'

'**Hold on,' Juniak said excited for the first time, 'you mean to tell me that Valerie and Albert were there as well? They are definitely going on the list, although I don't see either of them holding a gun in their lives, they have to be ruled out.**

**And Vinnie Plum, didn't he make such a scene about you quitting his bonds office? **

**_And didn't Helen give Vinnie hell for giving you the job?_ **

**And what was the real reason you quit working for him, Steph?**

**I saw you and Hector that one day with Mooner and Dougie bringing them in for missing their court date, and all of a sudden there are signs up all over town about a business sale, furniture and what not, and now I hear Vinnie is filing for bankruptcy and at the mercy of Lucille's daddy, so what's the scoop?**

Can you fill me in on that, please?

You, of all folks in Trenton have brains and knowledge of this town to help me out here. Plus you are sitting here with the brain trust of Rangeman, and your daddy is right here, so _could you all help a man out here?_

_This investigation is a joke at best, folks do not want to help at all, and I can see their point. _

_Life does go on, and I agree about not giving a damn but now it's a matter of I NEED HELP here, I am not too proud to beg you to help me, after all you are the best at what you do,' Juniak ended up pleading his case to the room._

"Well, Uncle Joe, you see it started when….." Stephanie started talking.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Killer's POV….

From a good vantage point the killer was able to be strolling along Haywood street just as Juniak left his car and walked into Rangeman, all alone. After about an hour of walking one direction, the killer saw coming back his car was still there.

But that was all right, for the killer had planned out the walking route after hearing the Police Chief was seeing the Manoso family.

There were a few businesses that had sprouted up along Haywood that let the killer blend into the background while observing the traffic in the area, and a certain car that was still parked as well. After making a couple of simple purchases with cash, the timing couldn't be better for leaving the last store, and observing the Police chief leave the Rangeman building alone, meant there were still no arrests at all in the case of who shot Helen Plum.

And by now the police had to have learned that the killer could be anyone, a neighbor, a man or a woman, a family member or not.

Or someone right under their very noses.

_**A/N. not mine, and once again Ms. Michelle did contribute a few lines here and there…. See you Monday, wonder what Stephanie is going to say, don't you?**_

'


	8. Chapter 8

_Previously_

"_Well, Uncle Joe you see it started when…'_

"Hector and I walked into the office after dropping off Mooner and Dougie at the Police Station where you saw me, only to find Lucille having Joyce cornered with Vinnie right beside her.

I guess Lucille had been suspicious over Vinnie's credit card purchases for sometime now, so she stopped by and not seeing me there, she walked in on Connie using bleaching crème for her mustache removal, and then she checked Vinnie's office, which was locked.

She popped the lock, and found Joyce bent over the desk with her hands tied and Vinnie entering her from behind….and it went downhill after that….so by the time we walked in Lucille had them out of his office and backed up in the corner by the file cabinets. Vinnie was looking like Dickie to tell the truth, both have now screwed Joyce, and both had gotten caught with their pants down around their ankles to boot. Then, Lucille had Connie call her Daddy, Harry, and the rest you know.

Joyce was put on the train with a one-way ticket, and Harry picked 'Alaska where the oil pipe is and everyone has laid pipe in Joyce, in this town.'

Juniak interrupted the story with his own comment, 'why didn't Harry put her on a plane then?' and Stephanie snorted and said '**a train fits Joyce that is what she used to pull in High School, Uncle Joe. That's what Harry told me when I asked him the same question.'**

Stephanie looked at her husband, and getting his nod of approval she then continued on with the little tale, 'once all that happened, I quit the bond office that very day, Rangeman pulled their contract, Connie had to go back to her family for work, and I am not sure where Lula is, haven't kept in touch at all.'

Stephanie continued on, holding her husband's hand for support while talking, " Helen had been showing up at the bond's office to see me, yell at me, whatever and did not accept the fact that I could make my own way in life without her or Morelli. She was on the warpath with Vinnie for hiring me as a bounty hunter in the first place instead of a file clerk and now that I was not around for her to persecute like she had been doing, her showing up at Vinnie's was the next best thing, because I still worked there. And Morelli was stalking me everywhere I went, so I had to get a restraining order out on him, which you and the judge both signed off on,** thank goodness.'**

Juniak just sat there, thinking about what all Stephanie told him, and then looked to Ranger and Hector, 'the break in's are becoming more of pain in the ass than this freakin' murder, is there any chance we could hire Rangeman to help patrol the streets in the evenings and nights? I brought a check and I already have signed it, but when you accept the contract and we both sign it; I need crews on the street as soon as possible.'

Frank asked his buddy, 'what about the murder, what's the next step?' Juniak just smiled and told him, 'hell if I know, we got a few more leads, I really don't expect anything big to turn up, and if it gets solved, it's all good but the more time that goes by, the less folks remember. Vinnie might be good for the killing, after all Helen was after him as well, from what you are telling me, but who really knows about that little weasel anyway, am I right?'

Both Frank and Ranger gave a nod, so Juniak said to everyone, 'I really can't see Val or Albert ever holding a gun, she was so far up Helen's butt to begin with, ever since she was in diapers, I am wondering, how she is holding up in all this mess, can you fill me in on **that**?

And Albert, I am afraid he is scared of his own shadow anyway, what would even be his motive? Christ, Helen getting killed is like a freakin' miracle as no one has to hear her mouth at all, but yet **no one even cares about getting the body either.**'

Looking at his watch, Juniak sighed and said, 'as a matter of fact, she should be ground up into ashes and left in the incinerator as we are speaking. It's bad enough I am paying for it thru the miscellaneous fund we have at the station, no way was I paying for a hole in the ground. Now getting back to Valerie, how is she Stephanie?'

Frank took over that question himself, 'Valerie is Valerie, she misses the exchange of recipes with Helen, that's for sure, and going over to the house for dinner, but right now she is trying to get moved in over at the house, I just took what I wanted and left it all. Helen's stuff and crap of hers is still there, I don't see much changing in that aspect, and I did give them Helen's life insurance money to add on to the house, right now Valerie and Albert have made the old den a bedroom for themselves so the girls have the bedrooms upstairs. Her mother's death was a shock to her system but in true Helen style, she moaned about missing her mother, and that was all. Look, Joe, I am sorry the department had to pay for Helen's cremation but I told you once and will again, **there was no way in hell I was going to pay for something for that woman I was married to.'**

Juniak stood up and slapped his friend on the back while making his way to the door of the conference room, ' I know that buddy, and cant blame you a bit, we're good here, now let's sign the contract so Rangeman can get out in the streets and help me out here, what do you say? I need something to show the city that we are being proactive, even if I got a killer around here, at least I can get the rest of the folks off my back once they see the big black bad ass trucks rolling around Trenton.'

Laughter filled the air, and the room felt lighter all of a sudden, and life really did go on.

Just then, Juniak's phone went off, he listened intently and then gave instructions to whoever it was on the phone, as he headed out the door of Rangeman. Someone was waiting in his office, wanting to talk about all things pertaining to Helen Mazur Plum.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Killer's POV.**

**I made my way to the police station, it was only a matter of time before Juniak came a callin' anyway, so why not just tell the man what he wanted to know.**

**I killed Helen Plum, and I would do it again and again. **

**Was I sorry she was dead? **

**NO.**

**Why should I be? I did myself and everyone else a favor.**

**So, I made myself a cup of coffee, and sat right down on his couch he had in his office.**

**Besides…**

**There was nowhere else I would rather be.**

A/N….one more chapter.

Thanks Michelle for reading ahead, as usual, I treasure your thoughts. And as usual, not mine.


	9. Chapter 9

_Ending chapter._

_Previously;_

_Someone was waiting in his office wanting to talk about all things pertaining to Helen Mazur Plum._

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Juniak went back into the conference room where everyone was just about ready to leave; but seeing the expression on his face, they paused.

'Uncle Joe, what's going on? You look stunned, who was on the phone?' Stephanie asked her Godfather. Frank had given his grandson over to Ella who had come downstairs to answer Ranger's call, something about the reappearance of Juniak set off his internal radar.

'Would you mind all of you coming with me to the station, there is someone there that wants to talk to me about Helen. And I would appreciate a different perspective, after all I do need some help here.'

Hector merely said 'si' and proceeded out the door to bring around the SUV for all of the family to get in, ready to follow the chief of police to his station, where who knows who was waiting to talk.

Juniak called back to the station, and had the person moved to the big conference room just off of his personal office, it was sound proof and there were no cameras involved at all. Finding out there was more than one person now waiting on him, gave him even more pause.

'Ranger, how about your attorney of record showing up as well, who knows if we will need a impartial witness or something, it just feels off for now there are **two** folks wanting to talk to me.' Juniak asked.

With a nod of his head that you could barely see, Ranger called his attorney, not the Rangeman attorney, but his own personal attorney, for this involved Helen, and as much as he despised the woman for all her shortcomings, it was his wife's mother after all.

Surprisingly enough it was his brother, Rafe that would be there, for Manoso and Associates were a well known criminal defense firm there in the Trenton~Newark area, and anything his brother Carlos needed, Rafe was more than happy to help with.

Family was Family.

The whole Manoso family disliked Helen Plum and with good reason, she was the reason Stephanie didn't have her own mother's love and support, with all the hell she put her own daughter through all her life. But the Manoso family loved their son's wife, and supported and loved her unconditionally ever since being introduced to Stephanie a few years prior to their marriage.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

**Killer's POV.**

**I let that nice looking Robin Russell move me into the conference room, but to my surprise I found my friend also wanting to talk to Juniak regarding that shrew of a woman, Helen Plum.**

**I knew we both were here for the same thing, to confess to the chief our own personal involvement, and when I mentioned that, all's I got was a nod, for who could really blame us for coming forward now? **

**Each of us knew that we would be questioned bout her and what she talked about to us, and each of us also knew we couldn't help but show our disdain for the woman in what we told the chief…. which led us to conclude that since ….**

**We both had to listen to her day in and day out, rain or shine, why not end our and all of Trenton's misery and shut her down for good?**

**So we both did, we both had the same caliber guns, and we both aimed at the same time, who's to say which gun did the trick, I thought mine did, evidently so did my friend.**

**By both of us confessing to the same crime at the same time, maybe just maybe there is hope for us.**

Xxxxxxxxxx

Ranger's POV

Juniak came back inside and asked us to help him figure out what was up at his station, with _two_ citizens wanting to talk about my former mother in law, I must admit I was certainly curious about it myself.

Could this be the break the police needed to catch the killer? I was thinking so but then again, no matter who did it, they did everyone a favor by shutting that woman down once and for all. Babe and I along with Frank and Edna were about ready to leave Trenton for good, just to get rid of Helen Plum and her screeching way of shouting about us, to us from the required feet away that her restraining order said.

My mother raised all of her children to respect our elders, to listen to what they had to say for our parents knew best; but not if Helen Plum was your mother.

In Helen Plum's world, you weren't a woman unless you were married to an Italian named Morelli and became said man's doormat for the rest of your life. At least you were married, who cares if you were married to a womanizer or wife beater?

I thank God everyday for letting Stephanie chose me and not who her mother wanted, I couldn't stand by and let her be berated like that from her own mother. Having our marriage be a simple affair with babe's family involved, just not Helen was beautiful. My family adores my babe and our son, having another boy on the way is just icing on the cake for everyone concerned.

We all piled in the SUV with Hector driving, following Juniak into the parking garage and into the conference room, I was stunned to see Rafe already in the room, seemingly to make himself at home with the two folks that **I least expected to see waiting for us.**

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rafe Manoso's POV.

Carlos called me to come to the Trenton Police Station and possibly take on the killer of his mother in law as a client; I was more than happy to.

Anyone who killed that woman was a saint in my book…so I was not charging a damn dime for this, it would be a pleasure to help the person that gave our family a break by taking out the pain in the ass we all knew as Helen Plum, after all it was the least I could do for my family, don't you agree?

I was already in the conference room having been apprised of the situation with the two folks wanting to confess to killing Helen.

What a mess it was, but before anyone could appear to talk to them, I explained by letting me do the talking, maybe this could all be avoided, and they both agreed. Seeing my brother and Stephanie walk through was all well and good, but when I saw Frank Plum as well come in the room, I hoped everything would turn out all right for the folks involved in her killing.

We shall see.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Killer # 2 POV.**

**Seeing my friend wanting to confess to the crime as well as me was all well and good, since we both know we each shot our guns at the same time. We had it planned like that since each of us had reached our limit when Helen started in on us like she did ever day…**

**Christ, I could set my clock by her, every day in the afternoon, here she came to talk about what a 'failure' her daughter was, being married to a 'criminal' and having 'a Cuban baby' it was such a 'disgrace' to her 'family' yada yada yada. After a while I began to fantasize just what never hearing her voice would be like, each day I thought more and more about it till something in me finally snapped.**

**And I went and talked to my friend, and what do you know?**

**We both felt the same way.**

**And so we thought out the perfect time, the place to do it, we each had the same gun all along, so right after 4 o'clock that day, we each took aim, cocked our guns and fired…**

**And **

**BOOM!**

**There laid Helen Mazur Plum, dead as dead could be.**

**And once again, peace filled my heart; after all I did the burg a favor, right?**

**I could hear the birds singing in the background once it was all over with, and I went about my business as if I hadn't a care in the world.**

**Which neither of us did have; after all Helen finally had shut the hell up, this time for good.**

**How could we know that Frank Plum would be in the area, or that Morelli boy; although we would have liked for him to be arrested for our crime, we knew we couldn't let that happen, after all Right Is Right, isn't that right?**

Juniak's POV.

Rafe Manoso stood up and shook hands with me, telling me that he was representing both the folks sitting in my conference room, and he had advised them both to not say a word about the killing of Helen.

That his clients were driven to the edge of insanity, for Helen came around and talked and talked about her life to them every day, it didn't matter to her if they had other people around them, she talked over others, around others, just to hear herself talk.

And so his clients would be **pleading not guilty by reason of temporary insanity.**

**Hell, that worked in my book anyway. After all who really knew what they were in here for in the first place?**

When I saw who was sitting there, I sat back in my chair pondering the what if's about this case…..

**What if;** no one ever found out just who killed Helen Plum?

**What if; no** one even cared who did it?

**What if;** the guns were never found?

**What if;** the people in this room were never even here?

I looked over at Frank and Stephanie, and I asked them 'now that we know who **might have killed Helen, do you really care if anyone else knows at all?'**

Stephanie told me with a grin on her face, ' I haven't any idea about what you are talking about Uncle Joe, do you daddy?' looking over at Frank.

Frank just looked at me and said 'I got tickets to the Ranger's game, Joe, what do you say to going with me tomorrow afternoon?'

I made up my mind, and motioning to Frank and Stephanie, I led them out of the room saying, 'did I ever show you the new bullet proof vests that Rangeman donated for us last month?'

The three of us kept walking, knowing the conference room would be empty by the time we returned, save for Hector and Ranger, after all, who really cared who killed Helen Plum anyways?

**Stephanie POV….**

**I watched from the corner of my eye, as the two people I least expected to give me my own peace of mind, leave the Trenton Police Station.**

**Each of them, **_**in their own way**_** was pushed to far by Helen Plum.**

**And each of them snapped.**

**Wouldn't you?**

**If Helen Plum came to your confessional booth day after day at the same time each day to talk about other folks, but never even thought about confessing her own sins, but yet cast the first stone at others, namely her own family?**

**And it wasn't stones she was casting but freakin' boulders instead?**

**And wouldn't you?**

**If Helen Plum always came to your meat counter to complain about the choice cut of meat that she didn't get the day before all because of some assine reasoning?**

**So Sal and Father O' Malley killed my mother.**

**Gosh, I wonder if Rangeman can throw a parade in their honor, after all it's not everyday the biggest gossip in the town of Trenton gets shut down, now is it?**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

A/N many many thanks to Cindy Lou for reading this ahead of time, and giving me her own pov before I posted.

Once again, not mine.

Hope you enjoyed finding out **just who killed Helen Plum** as much as I did writing it.

**Cheeky grin**…and Happy Holidays.


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